Automatically reciprocable spray head



United States Patent 3,246,847 AU'IGMATICALLY RECIPROCABLE SPRAY HEADPaul Hammelmann, 1'7 Zuni Sundern, Oelde, Westphalia, Germany Originalapplication Jan. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 86,061. Divided and this applicationJan. 13, 1965, Ser. No.

6 Claims. (31. 2a9--1s'7 This application is a division of applicationSerial No. 86,061, filed January 31, 1961, for Device for CleaningPipes, Conduits, Storage Tanks and the like, now abandoned. Thisinvention relates to cleansing devices which are intended for cleansingpipes and ducts, as well as storage and transport containers which areused for the transport and storage of oils and oil products and acids,as well as of milk, beer, fruit juices, and the like.

For this cleansing process, devices are known in which the cleansingfluid is sprayed systematically by cleansing heads with controllednozzles, under high pressure, over the inner wall or interior of thepipe or container to be cleaned. The present invention, however, employsa spray or jet tube controlled by a high hydraulic pressure instead ofemploying mechanical drive means.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for cleansing pipesand ducts, storage containers and the like, with a flexible hoseconnection for the controllable supply of a high-pressure liquid (30 to80 atm.) into a spray or jet tube.

It is a further feature to reciprocate the spray jet or tubeautomatically by an auxiliary stream of pressure liquid.

'The deposits in the pipe are attacked from all sides. Cleansing iscompleted in a shorter time. Control means for'reciprocating thecleanser head can be constructed in different ways, but it is preferredto utilize a hydraulicallycontrolled reciprocating piston to move thespray head.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section through a sprinkler tube particularlyadapted for paper-making machines and FIGURE 2 is a similar view withparts shown in a different relationship.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the left endportion of FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 4 is a similar detail of parts of FIGURE3 showing elements in a position diiferent from that shown in FIGURE 3.FIG- URE 5 is a further enlarged detail of the construction shown inFIGURES 1 and 3.

The apparatus of the present invention is particularly applicable forsmall-bore pipes or tubular conduits, for instance, such as are used forcleaning large paper-making machines, in which case jets of Cleansingfluid should be directed both forwards and backwards. In such instancesthe use of high-pressure-controlled spray pipes has been found to beespecially advantageous.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2, a clamping sleeve 202 is fixed on a machineframe (not shown), carrying a movably-supported hydraulic cylinder 201.This cylinder 201 is closed at its left end by a plug or end cap 203 inwhich the liquid supply end of the hydraulic pipe 204 is rigidly fixedand sealed. The latter is thus also rigidly held on the machine frameconcentrically within cylinder 201. The piston 205 moves longitudinallyin the hydraulic cylinder 201 and on and over the hydraulic pipe 204.This working piston 205 carries the spray tube 207 which ispressure-sealed at its right end within the hydraulic cylinder 201 bymeans of packings 208 and a gland nut. Its left end may be coupled toany desired additional length of spray tube by a coupling 210 shown inFIGURE 1.

The end cap or plug 203 contains a port 211 placing the space betweenthe piston 205 and the end plug 203 in communication with the externalatmosphere. The openice ing through such port to passages 214 and 215,which are open to the atmosphere as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, iscontrolled by a screw-adjustable valve 213 which can be secured in aselected adjusted position by the locknut 212 shown best in FIGURE 3.

The plug or end cap 203 is further fitted with a longitudinally movablerod 216 extending axially through it, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, andterminating behind the piston 205 on a plate 217 longitudinallyadjustable in the cylinder 201 by lengthwise adjustment of rod 216 forthe purpose of establishing the limiting position of the piston 205 atthe retracted end of its stroke. This rod 216 is securable in variousadjusted positions by means of the locking thumbscrew 218.

The piston 205 is longitudinally drilled to provide a stepped bore inwhich a longitudinally movable pushrod valve 219 is received. This valveis urged toward its open position shown in FIGURE 3 by a helical compression spring 220 engaged between a shoulder on such valve and the bottomof the enlarged portion of the bore through the piston, as shown inFIGURES 3 and 4. The head of this pushrod valve controls the opening ofcontrol port 221 establishing communication between the piston bore inwhich the pushrod slides and the annular space between the concentricspray tube 207 and the hydraulic cylinder 201.

The spray tube 207 has in it in the usual manner spray holes, as shownin FIGURE 3, or spray slits, spray nozzles or the like, arranged anddistributed longitudinally and circumferentially of it according to theintended purpose of the device. 7

In operation the spray tube or pipe 207 will be reciprocated alternatelyin opposite directions relative to the hydraulic cylinder 201 betweenthe retracted position shown in FIGURE 1 and the projected positionshown in FIGURE 2. Assuming that the pushrod valve 219 is in theposition shown in FIGURE 4 closing the control port 221 and the spraytube 207 is in a position to the right of that shownin FIGURE 1,cleansing liquid will be discharged from the hydraulic pipe 204 into thespace between such pipe and the spray tube 207 and through such spraytube into the annular space between the spray tube and the hydrauliccylinder 201. This liquid under pressure will produce a positivepressure on the right end of piston 205 urging it to the left, as seenin FIGURES 1 and 2, with a force greater than the force on the closedright end of the spray tube 207 tending to move this tube to the right.The annular chamber between the inner hydraulic pipe 204 and the outerhydraulic pipe 201 to the left of piston 205 will be drained at a fasteror slower rate to the atmosphere through passage 214 and 215, dependingupon the lengthwise adjustment of screw valve 213. The adjustment ofthis valve will determine the rate at which the spray tube 207 is movedto the left toward its retracted position of FIGURE 1.

When the spray tube 207 has reached its desired retracted position asestablished by the adjusted position of the annular plate 217 effectedby the longitudinal adjustment of rod 216. The left end of the pushrodvalve 219 will be pressed against plate 217 so that with the assistanceof spring 220 the valve will be moved from its position of FIGURE 4closing the control port 221 into the open position of FIGURE 3. Withthe valve in this position, liquid from the annular chamber betweenspray tube 207 and hydraulic pipe 201 at the right of piston 205 willfi-ow through the control port 221 and the piston bore to the left sideof the piston. The liquid thus flowing through the piston will tend toequalize the hydraulic pressure on its opposite sides so that thepressure of the cleansing liquid on the closed right end of the spraytube will force such tube toward the right into the projected positionof FIGURE 2.

When the spray tube reaches the extreme right position indicated inFTGURE 2, the head of the pushrod valve 219 will engage the right end ofthe hydraulic cylinder Ziil and such pushrod will be pushed from theposition of FIGURE 3 to that of FIGURE 4 against the force ofcompression spring 220 so as to seal the control port 221 t the pistonbore. The cleansing liquid dis charged through the apertures oi thespray tube into the annular space between such tube and the hydraulicpipe 201 will therefore again produce a pressure on the right side ofpiston 205 which will move the piston to the left in opposition to thepressure of the cleansing liquid on the right end of the spray tube 207.The pressure on the left side of piston 205 will be relieved bydischarge of liquid through the port 211 and ports 2'14 and 215 in theend plug 203 past the screw valve 213, as previously explained.Consequently, the spray tube will continue its travel to the left, asseen in FIGURE 1, until it reaches the plate 217, which again reversesthe position of the pushrod valve 219.

It will be evident that the hydraulic cylinder 2% may be made of anydesired length, depending upon the desired stroke of the spray tube 207,and the location of the limits between which such travel occurs can bealtered by shifting the position of hydraulic cylinder 201 in thesupporting clamping sleeve 202. The speed of reciprocation of the spraytube will depend upon the pressure of the cleansing fluid, the adjustedposition of screw valve 213 and the annular area of piston 205, ascompared to the cross-sectional area of spray tube 297. To effectreciprocation of the spray tube 207 in the manner described requiresabout one percent of the volume of the pressure fluid or cleansingliquid supplied.

I claim as my invention:

1. Spray cleaning mechanism comprising a lengthwisereciprocableapertured spray tube, a cylinder encircling a portion of said spraytube, an annular piston connected to said spray tube and received insaid cylinder for reciprocation therein to effect reciprocation of saidspray tube, a cleaning fluid supply pipe extending concentrical- 1ythrough said annular piston and into the interior of said spray tube,sealing means sealing said cylinder relative to said spray tube, andmeans controlling discharge from said cylinder of fluid under pressuresupplied there to through said spray tube for effecting reciprocation ofsaid piston and spray tube relative thereto.

2. The spray cleaning mechanism defined in claim 1, and discharge meansbypassing the spray tube for disi change from the cylinder therethroughof fluid under pressure which has passed through the spray tube.

3. The spray cleaning mechanism defined in claim 2, and regulating meansfor the discharge means operable to regulate the rate of discharge offluid under pressure therethrough and, consequently, the speed ofreciprocation of the piston and spray tube elfected by fluid underpressure in the cylinder.

4. The spray cleaning mechanism defined in claim 1, in which the annularpiston is connected to one end of the spray tube, additional sealingmeans providing a seal between the cleaning fluid supply pipe and thecylinder at the side of the piston remote from the spray tube, thepiston has a port for passage of fluid under pressure therethrough, anddischarge means for the portion of the cylinder at the side of thepiston remote from the spray tube for discharge from the cylindertherethrough of fluid under pressure which has passed through the pistonport.

5. The spray cleaning mechanism defined in claim 1, and stop meanslocated in the cylinder enga-geab-le by the piston for limiting travelthereof in one direction, and adjusting means projecting from said stopmeans to the exterior of the cylinder and movable to adjust the positionof said stop means along the cylinder.

6. A device for cleaning the interior of pipes, conduits, storage tanksand transport containers, comprising a conduit for supplying fluid underpressure, a discharge tube disposed adjacent to said conduit andreciprocable lengthwise thereof, a cylinder member disposed adjacent tosaid conduit, and a piston member received in said cylinder member, oneof said members being connected to said discharge tube to efiectreciprocation thereof relative to said conduit and the other of saidmembers being connected to said conduit, and said conduit having ductmeans establishing communication between said conduit and said cylindermember for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder member foreffecting relative movement of said piston member and said cylindermember to move said discharge tube.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 13,966 8/1915Burgess 239587 1,215,202 2/ 1917 Schelter 239239 1,867,250 7/1932 Coleset a1. Z39-239 3,175,768 3/1965 Hammelmann 239-239 EVERETT W. KIRBY,Primary Examiner.

6. A DEVICE FOR CLEANING THE INTERIOR OF PIPES, CONDUITS, STORAGE TANKSAND TRANSPORT CONTAINERS, COMPRISING A CONDUIT FOR SUPPLYING FLUID UNDERPRESSURE, A DISCHARGE TUBE DISPOSED ADJACENT TO SAID CONDUIT ANDRECIPROCABLE LENGTHWISE THEREOF, A CYLINDER MEMBER DISPOSED ADJACENT TOSAID CONDUIT, AND A PISTON MEMBER RECEIVED IN SAID CYLINDER MEMBER, ONEOF SAID MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DISCHARGE TUBE TO EFFECTRECIPROCATION THEREOF RELATIVE TO SAID CONDUIT AND THE OTHER OF SAIDMEMBERS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID CONDUIT, AND SAID CONDUIT HAVING DUCTMEANS ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CONDUIT AND SAID CYLINDERMEMBER FOR SUPPLYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID CYLINDER MEMBER FOREFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON MEMBER AND SAID CYLINDERMEMBER TO MOVE SAID DISCHARGE TUBE.